New beginnings
Lakeland softball opens 2026 season
As a new era of Lakeland Union High School softball begins, the team got its season underway Wednesday at the LUHS fieldhouse. Eight student-athletes took part in the first practice of the season, almost triple the participation from last season’s first day. Lakeland was on Spring Break last week.
Season review: Lakeland boys’ basketball came so close
The wins may not have been as prevalent for the Lakeland boys’ basketball team this season, but they came together to give opposing teams their best effort. The Thunderbirds went 7-18 this season, 5-9 in the Great Northern Conference. They finished sixth out of eight teams in the conference standings.
Season review: Lady T-Bird basketball showed great growth
From beginning to end, the Lakeland girls’ basketball team showed immense growth in a season full of ups and downs. The Thunderbirds compiled an 8-18 overall record and tied for fourth with Tomahawk in the Great Northern Conference standings with a record of 6-8.
Brayden Kelly impresses at Junior Nationals
Parker and Colin McKinney ski in postseason trips to conclude season
Lakeland Union High School Nordic skiers put their talent on display in the final competitions of the season. Brayden Kelly and Parker McKinney skied in the Cross Country Junior National Championship Monday, March 9 through Saturday, March 14 at the American Birkebeiner Trailhead in Cable. Colin McKinney took part in the U16 Eastern Championships Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15 in Hanover, N.H.
Season preview: Lakeland track and field abundant with talent
There’s a new change in leadership for the Lakeland Union High School track and field program. What’s not different is Lakeland’s striving to be the best track team they can be. Greg Eichelkraut and Gordy Hartzheim are taking over as co-coaches of the Thunderbirds following the resignation of Stephanie Strasburg, who had the role since 2023.
Season review: Mercer High School boys’ basketball team faced adversity
The Mercer High School boys’ basketball team had trouble finding the win column in a season filled with adversity. The Tigers ended the season with an overall record of 1-19. They tied for ninth out of 10 teams in the Northern Lights Conference with a record of 1-17. Mercer averaged 28.6 points per game scored while giving up 71.2 points per game.
Football journey to Michigan
Carson Fieck first LUHS football player to sign to play scholarship football since Sid Hunter
It’s one thing to play college football, but for one Lakeland Union High School student-athlete, he’s going to be playing scholarship football. Senior Carson Fieck signed to play football at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II school, on Feb. 4.
Season review: LUHS boys’ wrestling team competed
The Lakeland boys’ wrestling team made progress throughout the season and finished in the middle of the pack in the conference standings.
Mental health and sports: Alysa Liu should be celebrated
The Olympic Winter Games from Milano Cortina wrapped up last month. I didn’t watch as much coverage as I had in past years, but one event and skater inspired me. The lone Olympic event that I watched was the Figure Skating Women Single Skating, particularly the free skating competition.
Talan Pockat ties for 57th at individual state bowling meet
Lakeland Union High School senior Talan Pockat took part in the Bowling Centers Association of Wisconsin (BCAW) High School Bowling Club State Championships Friday, March 6 through Sunday, March 8 at Dale’s Weston Lanes.
New York state of skiing
Miranda Schneider, coach Christel Kern take part in Eastern High School Nordic ski meet
Some of the top Nordic skiers around the country took part in the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) Eastern High School Championships last weekend. Miranda Schneider, Lakeland Union High School junior, was one of six skiers from the Great Lakes team that competed in the Eastern High School Championships Friday, March 6 through Sunday, March 8 at the Gore Mountain Nordic Center in North Creek, N.Y.
Lakeland gets 14 Thunderbirds on winter all-conference teams
The Lakeland Union High School winter sports teams earned individual recognition when the Great Northern Conference released its all-conference teams. A total of 14 Thunderbirds received all-Great Northern Conference honors from winter teams boys’ basketball, girls’ basketball, boys’ hockey, gymnastics, boys’ swim and boys’ wrestling.
LUHS track and field season featuring co-coaches
The Lakeland Union High School track and field season got underway Monday with a different but familiar to it. Greg Eichelkraut and Gordy Hartzheim are the co-head coaches of the Lakeland track team. They are taking over for Stephanie Strasburg, who resigned at the end of last season. Last year, Eichelkraut coached the throwing events while Hartzheim did distance.
Gaining state experience
Malin Awker competes at individual state gymnastics meet
The individual state gymnastics competition provided Lakeland freshman Malin Awker with experience against top talent from around the state. Awker took part in the WIAA Division 2 individual state gymnastics meet Saturday at Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids. She did the all-around, competing in all four events.
Season review: Lakeland boys’ swim persevered amidst small numbers
The Lakeland boys’ swim team battled through injuries and adversity, ending the season with individual progress made. The Thunderbirds finished fifth out of five teams with four total conference points in the Great Northern Conference standings.
Season review: LUHS girls’ wrestling program took the next step forward
In a new era for the Lakeland Union High School girls’ wrestling team, they got a new coach and put together several top performances throughout the season while making a little history.
Overtime heartbreaker
Rice Lake ousts Thunderbirds from the playoffs for a second straight season
In a tight, back-and-forth playoff game, the T-Bird boys’ basketball team lost its first round playoff matchup in heartbreaking fashion on Tuesday. Ninth-seeded Rice Lake beat eighth-seeded Lakeland 61-60 in overtime in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal game at Ted Voigt Court in Minocqua.
Malin Awker rising to the occasion in her first state meet
The Lakeland Union High School gymnastics program has shown a lot of progress this season, and it continues at the state meet with freshman Malin Awker. Awker is set to make her state debut Saturday, March 7 at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School.
Talan Pockat gets his senior moment at state bowling
Talan Pockat, a senior at Lakeland Union High School, has been bowling for a long time. He finally gets his shot at the title with the state meet this weekend. The top 10 bowlers in the District 9 individual standings qualified for the state tournament held today through Sunday, March 8 at Dale’s Weston Lanes. Pockat finished seventh with a Baker Equivalency Rating of 67.11.
Mercer boys’ basketball loses playoff game to Prentice
The Mercer High School boys’ basketball team saw its season come to an end following a 99-13 loss to Prentice in a WIAA Division 5 regional quarterfinal game on Tuesday in Prentice. “It’s a tough loss to end the season with, but the boys stuck it out like they always do,” coach Anthony Pemble said.
Malin Awker punches ticket to state in all-around, vault
LUHS gymnastics scores season-high 118.95
It was an all-around great day for the Lakeland gymnastics team on Friday. The Thunderbirds set a new season-high in score and sent an individual to the WIAA state meet for the first time in eight years. Lakeland finished fifth out of eight teams with 118.95 points in a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet at Antigo High School. The top two teams advanced to the state tournament.
Eagles co-op falls one game short of state
One game away from the state tournament, the Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op ran out of magic. The fifth-seeded Eagles fell 7-0 to second-seeded Superior in a WIAA sectional final Saturday at the Hayward Sports Center.
Shawano staves off Lakeland’s upset bid
A strong start was not enough for the Lakeland Union High School girls’ basketball team to upset top-seeded Shawano Friday night. The Hawks defeated the eighth-seeded Thunderbirds 62-52 in a WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal game at Shawano Community High School.
Thunderbirds end regular season with loss
LUHS boys’ hoops hosts Rice Lake to open playoffs tonight, 7 p.m.
The Lakeland Union High School boys’ basketball team dropped its final game of the regular season in a 63-53 road loss at Merrill Thursday night.
Big second half leads Lady T-Birds to playoff win
It’s all about the finish. The Lakeland Union High School girls’ basketball team worked together for a big second half and playoff win. The Thunderbirds, the No. 8 seed, beat Wausau East, the No. 9 seed, 70-51 at Ted Voigt Court in Minocqua.
Eagles stun Storm
Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op advances to sectional final
In a playoff shocker, the Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op defied all odds to take down the No. 1 seed on the road. The Eagles, the No. 5 seed, defeated the Central Wisconsin Storm 2-1 in a WIAA sectional semifinal game in Wausau on Tuesday.
Northland Pines blanks LUHS boys’ hockey
Going up against the No. 1 seed proved to be too much of a challenge for the Lakeland boys’ hockey team in a playoff loss on Tuesday. The fourth-seeded Thunderbirds fell 6-0 to Northland Pines in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal game in Eagle River.
T-Bird boys’ basketball team drops game to Oredockers
The Lakeland boys’ basketball team dropped it final non-conference game of the regular season to Ashland, 73-65. The game took place Monday in Ashland.
Similar Solon Springs story
Mercer Tiger boys’ hoops falls to Eagles for second straight game
In the second game of a back-to-back set against Solon Springs, the Mercer boys’ basketball team improved, even in defeat. The Tigers fell 67-28 to the Eagles in a Northern Lights Conference game on Monday in Mercer. Three days earlier, Mercer lost 73-17 in Solon Springs.
Instant playoff classic
Thunderbirds beat Shawano/Bonduel in double overtime
Overtime, playoffs, an injury, stellar goalie play — the Lakeland Union High School boys’ hockey team won its biggest game of the year in thrilling fashion. The Thunderbirds, the No. 4 seed, defeated Shawano/Bonduel, the No. 5 seed, 3-2 in double overtime in a WIAA Division 2 regional final game Thursday at the Lakeland Hawks Ice Arena in Minocqua.
Lady T-Birds take third place at conference meet
Malin Awker finishes all-conference in three different events
The Lakeland Union High School gymnastics team didn’t have a team a season ago. On Saturday, they showed just how far they’ve come in one year at the conference meet. The Thunderbirds finished third out of five teams with 115.975 points at the Great Northern Conference Small Division meet at the LUHS fieldhouse.
Playoff upset: Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op wins in overtime
An overtime winner in the playoffs. The Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op extended its season with a thrilling victory on Thursday night. Fifth-seeded Northland Pines, comprised of skaters from Northland Pines, Rhinelander, Lakeland, Antigo, Three Lakes, Hurley and Norway (Mich.) high schools, defeated fourth-seeded Wisconsin Valley Union 4-3 in overtime in a regional final in Stevens Point.
Hodags snap Lakeland’s three-game conference win streak
The Lakeland boys’ basketball team’s three-game conference win streak came to an end on Friday night. Rhinelander defeated Lakeland 72-46 in Rhinelander.
Lady T-Birds fall to Rhinelander to conclude regular season
Lakeland hosts Wausau East tonight in playoff opener, 7 p.m.
Similar to the first meeting, the Lakeland girls’ basketball team played competitive early with Rhinelander. A strong second half by the Hodags put the game away. The Thunderbirds fell 57-33 to Rhinelander on the road Friday night.
Lakeland girls’ wrestling concludes season at sectional meet
The Lakeland girls’ wrestling team saw its season come to an end on Friday night. The Thunderbirds participated in a WIAA sectional meet at D.C. Everest Senior High School. Emma Brooks, Kady Lohoff and Moriah Louis all dropped their first round matchup.
Mercer boys’ basketball team drops two straight
The Mercer High School boys’ basketball team dropped two more Northern Lights Conference games. The Tigers fell 90-24 to Washburn in Mercer on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Then, Mercer traveled to Solon Springs Friday and lost 73-17 to the Eagles.
Emotional senior send-off
Lakeland falls to Wausau East on Senior Night
The Lakeland Union High School boys’ basketball team ran into a tough opponent on Senior Night. The Thunderbirds fell 87-60 to Wausau East in a non-conference game Tuesday night in Minocqua.
Lady T-Birds and Red Robins tie
LUHS gymnastics concludes conference dual play with its best record since 2015-16
A tie between Lakeland Union High School and Antigo High School’s gymnastics teams gave the Thunderbirds their best finish in Great Northern Conference dual play in 10 years. Lakeland took sixth out of nine teams with a score of 116.425 in the Valentine’s Meet at Ashland High School on Saturday. Then, the Thunderbirds and Red Robins both had a team score of 116.9 in the final GNC dual meet of the season.
Locked in for the postseason
Lakeland Nordic skiers Brayden Kelly, Colin McKinney, Parker McKinney, Miranda Schneider make postseason trips
The final Junior National Qualifier took place in Minneapolis on Saturday and Sunday. When all was said and done, four Lakeland Nordic skiers made a postseason trip.
Aro Ryden excelling on the Wisconsin Kids Snowmobile Racing Association circuit
Aro Ryden victorious Jan. 17 in Eagle River
Snowmobile racing is a popular sport here in the Northwoods during the winter. For one local in particular, he came across the finish line in first place. Minocqua native Aro Ryden, 7 years old, won a race at the Wisconsin Kids Snowmobile Racing Association (WKSRA) World Championship Jan. 16 through 18 in Eagle River.
Kady Lohoff, Moriah Louis advance to the sectional meet
The Lakeland girls’ wrestling team scored the third-most points at the regional meet, and in the end, advanced two of its seniors to the next round. The Thunderbirds finished third out of 10 teams with 125 points at a WIAA regional meet in Merrill on Friday.
Lady T-Birds win big on Senior Night
In one of its biggest games of the season, the Lakeland girls’ basketball team won by nearly 30 points to secure fourth place in the Great Northern Conference standings. The Thunderbirds beat Tomahawk 62-33 on Senior Night Friday at Ted Voigt Court in Minocqua.
LUHS boys’ basketball wins third straight game
The Lakeland boys’ basketball team won handily on the road for its third straight win. The Thunderbirds beat Tomahawk 77-36 Friday on the road.
Lakeland boys’ wrestling places 13th at sectionals
The Lakeland Union High School boys’ wrestling team saw its season come to an end at the sectional meet on Saturday. The Thunderbirds finished 13th out of 16 teams with 28.5 points in the newly-formatted postseason. Instead of having a regional, 16 teams gathered in Antigo for a sectional meet.
T-Bird boys’ swim team improves times at sectional meet
More personal bests helped the Lakeland boys’ swim team end its season on a positive note. Silas Fetrow and Garrison Jacques took part in a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet Saturday at the Rice Lake Natatorium. Lakeland’s two swimmers combined to score 24 points.
Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op scores season-high nine goals
Pines takes on Wisconsin Valley Union to begin playoffs on Thursday
The Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op split a pair of games to conclude the regular season. The Hayward co-op defeated Northland Pines 2-0 on Thursday in Eagle River. Then, the Eagles beat Viroqua 9-1 on the road on Saturday.
Mercer boys’ basketball falls to Mellen, Bayfield
The Mercer High School boys’ basketball team dropped back-to-back Northern Lights Conference games last week. On Tuesday, Feb. 10, Mellen defeated the Tigers 69-15. On Friday, Mercer fell 99-22 to Bayfield. Both games took place in Mercer.
Lakeland Nordic ski boys rise to second place overall
Brayden Kelly finishes third overall in individual point standings
The Lakeland Nordic ski team saved its best for last with a strong showing at the state distance meet. The Lakeland boys finished second as a team at the Wisconsin Nordic Ski League State Distance Championships Saturday, Feb. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 8 in Cable. The second-place finish put them second overall as a team.
Kallen Howard, Tyrone Moore win individual wrestling conference titles
Five Thunderbirds finish all-conference
The Lakeland Union High School boys’ wrestling team had two champions after the conference tournament on Saturday. The Thunderbirds finished fourth out of seven teams with 123.5 points at the Great Northern Conference meet in Medford. Kallen Howard and Tyrone Moore won individual conference titles for Lakeland.
Clutch victory: LUHS boys’ hoops hangs on to beat Northland Pines
The Lakeland boys’ basketball team got out to a sizable lead in the second half before holding on to a win a close Great Northern Conference game. The Thunderbirds beat Northland Pines 56-55 on Tuesday at Ted Voigt Court.
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